Health Benefits of Cardarine

Medically reviewed by Lindsay Cook, PharmDMedically reviewed by Lindsay Cook, PharmD

Cardarine—also known as GW1516, GW501516, and Endurobol—is a banned artificial substance that appears to improve metabolism, blood sugar levels, and physical endurance. Studies suggest it alters how the body metabolizes fat. For this reason, the substance has particularly appealed to professional athletes seeking to improve athletic performance.

While Cardarine was initially studied to treat health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, animal research linked the substance to the development of multiple types of cancer—leading researchers to pull it from human clinical trials. Cardarine has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, among other organizations, since 2009.

May Stimulate Weight Loss

Cardarine falls under a class of drugs known as metabolic modulators, which are substances that modify the body's metabolism without negatively affecting other cardiovascular functions, like blood flow. As a metabolic modulator, Cardarine may help promote weight loss and fat loss.

Older animal studies and some research reviews suggest Cardarine could treat obesity by encouraging the body to store less fat and stimulating the body to mimic the positive effects of exercise.

However, there are no long-term studies on this purported benefit in humans, and research on Cardarine in humans has halted due to links between the substance and cancer.

May Support Diabetes Treatment

Some research has explored the effectiveness of Cardarine in type 2 diabetes prevention and other aspects of diabetes treatment.

One animal study found that Cardarine improved blood sugar and insulin levels in gestational diabetes, a condition that causes high blood sugar levels during pregnancy and can lead to delivery complications.

Another study showed that Cardarine could assist with wound healing in people with diabetes who are prone to developing hard-to-heal wounds—leading to complications like infection or, in some cases, amputation.

Although human research on Cardarine has halted, experts continue to study the use of other metabolic modulators for diabetes treatment. In theory, metabolic modulators can help promote the effects of exercise while preventing insulin resistance (when your body can't use the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels).

Potentially Regulates Blood Lipid Levels

Cardarine belongs to a class of drugs known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), which affect the hormones that regulate blood sugar and blood lipid levels in the body. Blood lipid levels, which represent the amount of cholesterol and fats in the blood, can be dangerous when high—leading to cardiovascular complications.

Some initial research looked at Cardarine as a possible treatment for dyslipidemia, a metabolic disorder that results from an imbalance of lipids in the blood. The condition is a known risk factor for heart disease.

However, further human research in this area stopped when researchers discovered that Cardarine appeared to cause cancer in various animal organs—including the liver, stomach, skin, bladder, ovaries, and more.

May Improve Athletic Performance

Cardarine's potential fat-burning and energy metabolism-improving properties have made it an enticing, though illegal, substance for enhancing athletic performance.

Studies suggest Cardarine can change gene activity by binding to certain androgen (hormone) receptors in the body. This change would affect a person's energy output and improve their endurance, meaning an athlete could work out more intensely and for longer durations.

In theory, this would be helpful for both cardiovascular and weight-lifting training sessions by allowing for exercise repetition without fatigue or a heart rate spike.

How To Take Cardarine

Cardarine is not a legal or approved supplement, so there's no recommended way to take it.

Experts caution that some supplements on the market (whether in capsule, powder, or liquid form) may be produced with or contaminated with this chemical.

Though Cardarine is an illicit substance, multiple professional athletes have tested positive for Cardarine over the past decade, resulting in doping violations and suspensions.

Dosage

Since Cardarine hasn't been tested extensively in humans and is listed on "prohibited" drug lists around the world, there is no expert-backed dosage for the supplement.

The limited human studies using Cardanine offered participants 2.5-10 milligrams (mg) of Cardarine daily. Animal studies used larger doses of the compound, and researchers observed severe side effects.

There have also been reports of some athletes misusing Cardarine and taking dosages of 10-20 mg daily.

Is Cardarine Safe?

Current evidence shows that Cardarine is not considered safe for human consumption because it hasn't undergone enough long-term research in humans. Clinical trials were stopped when researchers found the compound was connected to cancer development in animals.

What To Look For

It's not legal to produce Cardarine for consumers in the United States, so you will not find a Cardarine supplement product from any pharmaceutical companies or reputable laboratories.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements in the same way it regulates medications, so there are black market companies that claim to sell Cardarine online. Any products listing Cardarine are illegitimate and may carry a risk of contamination.

Typically, reputable online retailers submit their products to third-party testing companies like the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) and ConsumerLab to ensure product potency and purity. With any legal supplement, look for this certification stamp on the label to make sure you're getting a high-quality product.

Can You Take Too Much Cardarine?

In general, avoid taking any amount of Cardarine. It's a banned substance by doping agencies worldwide. Research has not shown any amount of Cardarine is safe in humans.

Side Effects of Cardarine

There hasn't been enough long-term testing done on humans to fully evaluate the potential side effects of Cardarine. In available studies, a main and severe side effect that researchers observed in animals was the compound's link to the quick development of cancer in multiple organs.

In one case study, a 43-year-old male misused Cardarine in combination with another similar athletic performance-enhancing supplement. He reported side effects like stomach pain, muscle pain, and severe headaches.

A Quick Review

Cardarine is a banned synthetic substance that may alter how the body metabolizes fat. Originally, the substance showed promise in research for treating diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. However, medical experts halted studies on Cardarine when evidence linked it to cancer development in animals.

While its potential sports performance-enhancing benefits have made it alluring for professional athletes, Cardarine has been banned by doping agencies. The substance would require more human research before it could be safely recommended for use.

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